Love, Betrayal, and Denial

(John 13:18-38)

By Dr. Hal Harless

Foundation Fellowship of Greenville, TX

February 14, 2010

 

I.  Introduction

A.  Please turn to John 13:18. 

While you are turning.... 

            In January 1981, Colombian rebels kidnapped Chet Bitterman, shot him, and left his body in a hijacked bus.

            But in April 1982, as a demonstration of international good will, the churches and civic groups of Bitterman's native area, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, gave an ambulance to the state of Meta in Colombia, where the young linguist was killed.

            Bitterman's parents traveled to Colombia for the presentation of the ambulance.  At the ceremony his mother explained, "We are able to do this because God has taken the hatred from our hearts."[1]

 

Today, we will look at the Lord Jesus Christ's new commandment to love against the backdrop of two failures, one that allowed the love of Christ to redeem him and one who did not.

II.  Exposition

A.  Background

1.  Jesus is now ministering privately to His disciples (John 13-17).

2.  We are in the upper room in Jerusalem.

3.  Jesus Christ has just washed the disciples feet when He makes a stunning statement...

B.  Exposition: Private Ministry of God, the Son (John 13:1-17:26)--The Last Supper of the Servant King (John 13:1-38)--Love, betrayal, and denial (John 13:18-38).

1.  Betrayal (John 13:18-30)

a.  The prediction of the betrayer (John 13:18-21)

            18 "I do not speak of all of you.  I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.'  19 From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.  20 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."  21 When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me" (John 13:18-21).

 

1)  Jesus knew who the betrayer was, and he was not one of the chosen. 

a)  In His divine nature, our Lord had always known those whom He had always chosen. 

i)  This does not speak of a fatalistic predestination. 

ii)  The Lord's choice of His own, while not based on foreknowledge, is in accordance with foreknowledge.

b)  Jesus pointed out that this betrayal was prophesied. 

i)  Our Lord quoted from Ps 41:9, a Psalm of David. 

(a)  In the original, this attack was from David's "close friend," literally, "the man of my peace." 

(b)  The rabbis applied this Psalm to David's counselor, Ahithophel, who joined Absalom's rebellion against his father David (2 Sam 15:12; 16:15).[2] 

(c)  Ahithophel's name may mean "my brother is folly."[3]  If so, David's prayer was very appropriate when he prayed, "O LORD, I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness" (2 Sam 15:31). 

ii)  In that culture, table fellowship created a bond and betraying that bond was unthinkable.[4] 

(a)  Judas Iscariot enjoyed a honored and trusted position among the disciples. 

(i)  The Gk. word translated "LIFTED UP" means "raise one’s heel to tread on someone."[5] 

(ii)  Robertson explains, "The metaphor is that of kicking with the heel or tripping with the heel like a wrestler.  It was a gross breach of hospitality to eat bread with any one and then turn against him so.  The Arabs hold to it yet."[6] 

(iii)  The Gk. word translated "heel" is the same in Genesis, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel" (Gen 3:15 LXX). 

(iv)  Barclay translates this, "has lashed out at me with his heel" (Barclay). 

(v)  Even showing the bottom of the foot is an expression of contempt in NE cultures.[7] 

iii)  Moreover, Ahithophel hung himself, as did Judas.

c)  Our Lord was concerned that Judas' betrayal might shake the disciples faith.[8] 

i)  Therefore, Jesus said that He was telling them of events before they happened so that they would believe in His divinity. 

ii)  God had used the same approach with Israel:

            I declared the former things long ago and they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them.  Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.   Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew And your forehead bronze, therefore I declared them to you long ago, before they took place I proclaimed them to you, so that you would not say, 'My idol has done them, and my graven image and my molten image have commanded them.'  You have heard; look at all this.  And you, will you not declare it?  I proclaim to you new things from this time, even hidden things which you have not known (Isa 48:3-6; see also 41:26; 44:7).

 

iii)  This is yet another of Jesus' great "I am" declarations echoing Exod 3:14.[9] 

(a)  This echoes Isaiah:

"You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He.  Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me (Isa 43:10).

 

(b)  Wuest translates this, "might be believing ... that I AM" (NTET), and Barclay, "I am who I am" (Barclay).

iv)  No matter what happens, no matter who lets you down, God is still in control.

2)  Jesus said that receiving those who He sends is equivalent to receiving Him, and receiving Him is equivalent to receiving God.

a)  "Truly, truly" marks this as a very solemn pronouncement.

b)  Paul wrote, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Cor 5:20). 

c)  Jesus will later say, "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained" (John 20:23). 

d)  As His ambassadors, we come proclaiming forgiveness of sins if anyone trusts in Christ.  If anyone refuses to trust in Him, their sins are retained. 

e)  All believers have this authority as ambassadors of Christ.[10]

3)  Then Jesus solemnly confirmed that one of them was going to betray Him.  The phrase "truly, truly" signifies a solemn pronouncement.

b.  The identity of the betrayer (John 13:22-26)

                ²² The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking.  ²³ There was reclining on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.  ²⁴ So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, "Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking."  ²⁵ He, leaning back thus on Jesus' bosom, said to Him, "Lord, who is it?"  ²⁶ Jesus then answered, "That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him."  So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot (John 13:22-26).

 

1)  The twelve were totally confused as to who the betrayer might be. 

a)  The other gospels indicate that they all even doubted themselves, and asked, "Surely not I, Lord?" (Matt 26:22; see also Mark 14:19; Luke 22:23).

b)  John does not refer to himself by name. 

i)  His favorite way to describe himself was as the disciple that Jesus loved (John 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20). 

ii)  Some have suggested that this beloved disciple might be Lazarus because John 11:36 said that He loved him. 

iii)  However, the other gospels make it clear that only the twelve were at the Last Supper (Matt 26:20; Mark 14:17; Luke 22:14). 

iv)  John does name Lazarus explicitly (John 11:1-2, 5, 11, 14, 43; 12:1-2, 9-10, 17).[11]

c)  John was reclining against Jesus' chest on His right. 

i)  If John were the youngest of the disciples, he would have been the one to ask at Passover, "Why is this night different from other nights?" (māh ništānāh halaylāh hazeh mīkōl hallaylôt?)[12] 

ii)  Jesus would have been presiding from the center place of honor. 

iii)  Judas may have occupied the next honorable place to the left of Jesus since Jesus was able easily to hand him the piece of bread (John 13:26). 

iv)  Peter was probably not at either end since Jesus had not come to him immediately in the foot washing. 

v)  However, he was far enough away that he had to communicate with John by signs (John 13:24).[13]

d)  Peter gestured to John to ask about whom Jesus was talking.  Perhaps Peter would have attacked the betrayer had he know his identity.[14]

e)  John leaned back and asked Jesus who it was that would betray Him.

2)  Jesus answered that He would dip a morsel of food and hand it to the betrayer. 

a)  This probably occurred early during the Passover Seder when the bitter herbs were dipped in the haroset sauce, a puree of dates, raisins, and sour wine.[15] 

b)  When the host at a feast gave someone a tasty morsel, it was a mark of honor and friendship. 

c)  Imagine John's shock when Jesus dipped it and handed it to Judas Iscariot!

d)  Sometimes the people that you lest expect will let you down.

c.  The departure of the betrayer (John 13:27-30)

                ²⁷ After the morsel, Satan then entered into him.  Therefore Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."  ²⁸ Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him.  ²⁹ For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, "Buy the things we have need of for the feast"; or else, that he should give something to the poor.  ³⁰ So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night (John 13:27-30).

 

1)  At that point, Judas became completely possessed by Satan. 

2)  Jesus hurried him along on his purpose before any could determine what he was doing.

3)  The disciples did not understand what was happening.

a)  Some thought that Jesus was sending Judas after supplies.  This would be possible although not convenient since the Galileans and Judeans had differing schedules for Passover.[16]

b)  Others thought that Judas was going to give to the poor. 

i)  Charity was a serious duty in Judaism, and was even considered by some rabbis to release one from hell:

If a man sees that his livelihood is barely sufficient for him, he should give charity from it, and all the more so if it is plentiful.  What is the meaning of the words, 'Even so they shall be sheared and he shall cross'?--In the school of R. Ishmael it was taught: Whoever shears off part of his possessions and dispenses it in charity is delivered from the punishment of Gehenna.  Picture two sheep crossing a river, one shorn and the other not shorn; the shorn one gets across, the unshorn one does not.  --And though I have afflicted thee: Mar Zutra said: Even a poor man who himself subsists on charity should give charity.  I will afflict thee no more: R. Joseph learnt: If he does that, [Heaven] will not again inflict poverty upon him.[17]

 

ii)  Rabbi Hillel said, "The more charity, the more peace."[18]  

c)  No one suspected that Judas was going to betray Jesus.

d)  Judas went into the night. 

i)  The phrase "and it was night" is significant given John's love of darkness and light imagery.[19] 

ii)  Daytime was over and night had come (John 9:5; 11:9-10; 12:35-36). 

iii)  Jesus Christ said when He was arrested in the garden, "this hour and the power of darkness are yours" (Luke 22:53).

2.  Love (John 13:31-35)

a.  Jesus' soon departure (John 13:31-33)

                ³¹ Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; ³² if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.  ³³ Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'" (John 13:31-33).

 

1)  Judas' departure prompted Jesus to say that the time for His departure and glorification was at hand.

a)  "Son of Man" is a Messianic title from Daniel:

I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.  And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed (Dan 7:13-14).

 

b)  John used it twelve times in his gospel of which this is the last.[20] 

c)  God told the suffering Servant, "You are My Servant, Israel, In Whom I will show My glory" (Isa 49:3). 

d)  The verb glorify is used five times in these two verses (John 13:31-32).[21]

e)  Jesus was preeminently concerned about glorifying the Father, even more than saving sinners.[22]  

2)  Jesus' glorification through the cross and returning to the Father was imminent. 

a)  This is a first-class condition.

b)  Wuest translates it "since" (NTET).

3)  Jesus told them that His time with them was short. 

a)  The Gk. word translated "little children" is a diminutive of "child," and was "used by Jesus in familiar, loving address to his disciples, or by a Christian apostle or teacher to his spiritual children."[23] 

b)  The word is only used here and in 1 John in the NT (1 John 2:1, 12, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21). 

c)  Jesus was referring back to a conversation with the Jewish religious authorities, i. e., "the Jews." 

d)  Jesus had told them, "I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come" (John 8:21-22).

b.  The new commandment, love one another (John 13:34-35)

³⁴ "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  ³⁵ By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35).

 

1)  Jesus presented the disciples with a new commandment, love.

a)  The word love is used twelve times in chapters 1-12, but forty-four times in chapters 13-21.[24] 

b)  The verb "love" (agapaō, "the highest love") is in the present tense both times that it is used in this verse, and indicates habitual or continuous action.[25] 

c)  Wuest translates this, "You should be constantly loving one another with a divine and self-sacrificial love; even as I loved you, you also be loving one another" (NTET).

d)  We must practice loving one another sacrificially as Jesus did.

2)  The promise of the new covenant (Jer 31:31-34) that Jesus fulfilled included, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it" (Jer 31:33). 

a)  Therefore, with the new covenant we have a new covenant stipulation or law, the law of love. 

i)  John would later write:

Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.  On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining (1 John 2:7-8).

 

ii)  Paul explained that we should

owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.  For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Rom 13:8-10).

 

b)  We do not need ten commandments or 613 commandments written upon our hearts; only love is required because love fulfills the law.

3)  We should also realize that the new covenant is a grant type covenant, not a king/vassal type covenant. 

a)  In a king/vassal covenant, we must perform the covenant stipulations, or laws, in order to receive the blessings of the king. 

b)  However, in a grant covenant, we have been freely given the king's blessing; we keep the covenant stipulations out of gratitude to the king. 

c)  One covenant is law, the other is grace.

4)  The early church father, Tertullian claimed that even the pagans said of Christians, "See ... how they love one another."[26] 

a)  This love is not merely a warm feeling.

b)  It is intensely practical. 

i)  Paul wrote to the Corinthians and explained what love looked like:

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails (1 Cor 13:4-8a).

 

ii)  John would later write:

But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?  Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth (1 John 3:17-18).

 

3.  Denial (John 13:36-38)

a.  Peter's claim (John 13:36-37)

                ³⁶ Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?"  Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later."  ³⁷ Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now?  I will lay down my life for You" (John 13:36-37).

 

1)  Simon Peter asked Jesus where He was going. 

2)  Peter was puzzled just like the Pharisees were (John 7:35-36; 8:21-22). 

3)  Jesus replied that Peter could not follow Him at this time, but would follow Him later. 

4)  Peter was indeed martyred, being crucified upside down, during Nero's persecution.

5)  Peter pressed the issue wanting to be with Christ.  He promised that he would even give up his life if necessary.

b.  Peter's denial (John 13:38)

³⁸ Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me?  Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times" (John 13:38).

 

1)  Jesus questioned Peter's protest of loyalty. 

2)  He predicted that, before a rooster crowed, Peter will have denied Him three times. 

a)  The Romans called the watch between midnight and 3 AM "cockcrow."[27] 

b)  In any case, Peter knew that his denial was only a short time away.[28] 

c)  Jesus expressed no doubt at all.  The phrase translated "will not crow" uses a double negative.[29] 

d)  Wuest translates, "A rooster shall positively not crow" (NTET). 

e)  The prediction was fulfilled in John 18:17, 25-27.

3)  Peter failed miserably. 

a)  However, in the original text, there is no chapter division between here and chapter 14. 

i)  The Lord wanted Peter to realize how unreliable his heart was, but also said, "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1). 

ii)  He also told him that He went "to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). 

b)  If you have failed our Lord, remember that Jesus said, "the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" (John 6:37).

II.  Applications

A.  What this says about Jesus Christ ...

1.  Jesus was preeminently concerned about glorifying the Father, even more than saving sinners.

2.  If you have failed our Lord, remember that Jesus said, "the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" (John 6:37).

B.  What this says to us ...

1.  Sometimes the people that you lest expect will let you down.  No matter what happens, no matter who lets you down, God is still in control.

2.  We must practice loving one another sacrificially as Jesus did.

a.  Under the new covenant of grace, we do not need ten or 613 commandments written upon our hearts; only love is required because love fulfills the law.

b.  This love is not merely a warm feeling; it is intensely practical.

3.  Peter and Judas both failed Jesus.  The difference was that Peter accepted the love and forgiveness of Christ; Judas did not.